Iraqi forces kill 3 Islamic State militants south of Kirkuk

Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi forces killed three Islamic State fighters while trying to sneak into Kirkuk province, a security source there was quoted saying on Thursday.

Iraqi website Almaalomah quoted the source saying that Popular Mobilization Forces killed the trio while trying to enter al-Riyadh, a former group stronghold in southwest Kirkuk.

Iraqi forces recaptured Islamic State’s strongholds in Kirkuk province last September as part of a wide-scale military operation to retake areas occupied by the militants since 2014. The government said last December it had seized back all territories held by the group in Iraq. But Kirkuk, and other recaptured areas, have seen occasional attacks by the militants against security forces, sparking fears that the group might still represent a security threat through hiding cells.